Improvement in railroad-frogs



` UNITED STATES THOMAS SHARP, OIE oHioAeo, TLLINOIS.

PATENT OEETCED IMPROVEMENT IN RAILROAD-FROGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. L10,771, dated December 1, 1863.

T0 @ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS SHARP, of Ghicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Frogs for Railroad-Switches; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings andthe letters and gures marked thereon, which forni part of this specification.

In the said drawings, which are hereunto annexed, Figure 1 represents a plan ortop view of my invention, and Fig. 2 'shows a sectional view ofthe saine at the line a: in Fig. 1.

The nature of my invention consists in constructing a railroad-frog with an adjustable v rail revolving at the center or middle point thereot` upon a pivot passing through the bed of the frog at the point where the lines of the two tracks cross each other, so that it can readily be adjusted so as to render either track continuous when desired, and thus avoid any break or interruption in the track over which the cars may pass, which is caused by the grooves cut for the iiange or flanges of the wheels when the frogs are constructed in the usual manner.

To enable those-skilled in the art fully to understood how to construct and make use of my invention, I will proceed todescribe the same with particularity, reference being made to the annexed drawings.

In the said drawings, A represents the castiron bed or base ofthe frog, and B B represent the main-track rail, and C C the side-track v rail,with a portion of both reinoved'at the point of their intersection, as shown in the drawings.

At thatpoint on the bed A where lines drawn longitudinally through the rails B and C intersect each other is the center of a movable revolving circular table passing through the bed A and projecting down below it. The top of said turning-table (marked D) isA on a level with the upper side of the bed A. This turning-table or short upright shaft D may be of any suitable size.

A E represents a short rail or barof the same material and dimensions as the rails B and O, and of such length as to tit accurately into either of the spaces left in said rails. The said bar E is fastened firmly to the top of the said revolving shaft or table D by bolts or other -suitable rneans, so as to revolve or turn with it; or the rail E and shaft "D may be forged from the same piece of metal. By this arrangement of the turning or p ivoted rail E with the'spaces left in the rails of the side track and also of the main track, either track may be made continuous for the train to pass over, as may be desired, by simply revolving the adjustable rail E into line with the track so desired to be rendered continuous, as aforesaid, thus obviating the unpleasantjolting and the wear of the frog occasioned by the usual groove or notch cut in the rails for the flange or flanges of the 'car-'wheels F represents a rod or bar rigidly attached to the revolving shaft D,`to which is attached the rod G, which is connected to the switch-lever H by the elbow-lever I or any other device, whereby the motion ofthe lever may be changed from a direction at right angles with the track to a direction parallel with the track, so that the said adjustable rail E may be moved to the required position with regard to the two tracks by the operation of the switch-lever in adjusting the track to the required position to run the train on the side or main track, as desired.

Having now described the nature and operation of my improved frog for railroadswitches, I will now proceed to specify what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by ,Letters Patent- Operating the adjustable barE by means of the projection D thereon, the rods F G, and elbow-lever Lwhen constructed, arranged, and operated in connection with the switch-lever H, as and for the purposes herein specified.

THOMAS SHARP.

Witnesses:

W. E. MARES, F. H. BROWN. f 

